No One Can Better This
by ScruffyLovin
Summary: While taking some time off after a rough mission with SG-1, Jack goes on vacation with his brother to relax before the holidays, only to wind up in a bigger mess than the one that sent him out there. MacGyver crossover. AU. Jack/Sam, Mac/Nikki
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **While taking some time off after a rough mission with SG-1, Jack goes on vacation with his brother to relax before the holidays, only to wind up in a bigger mess than the one that sent him out there. MacGyver crossover.

**Timeframe: **AU

**Characters/Pairing: **Established Sam/Jack, Established Mac/Nikki

**Genre: **Hurt/Comfort, Family, Whump

**Rating: **T

**Note: **This fic was written as a Christmas present for my wonderful evil brain twin, who wanted a whumptastic story. Oh, the crazy things we come up with together. ;)

**No One Can Better This**

**One**

The creaky old bus jerked to a stop, brakes screeching in protest just moments before the door swooshed open to release its passengers. Jack climbed out of his seat and pulled his duffle out from beneath it, stretching stiff muscles that had been idle for the long bus ride from the train station. Letting an old woman step out before him, Jack slowly made his way off the bus.

Stepping into the brisk Colorado mountain air, Jack felt his face break out into an instant grin. There was a satisfying crunch under his boots as the snowy, icy mixture crackled beneath his feet. Normally when he traveled to the middle of nowhere it was to visit his own isolated haven in the woods of Minnesota, but this time he was visiting a place he hadn't been to in quite some years—his grandfather Harry's old place. Sharing his vacation with his twin brother only made it that much better; it'd been months since they'd seen one another, and even longer since Jack had been to the cabin.

When MacGyver had proposed the idea, Jack had initially been fearful about trekking up in the mountains to find the old place in shambles, but his twin had assured him that he'd been by every once in a while to look in on the place and clean it up. Jack was really looking forward to this trip, especially after the hell he'd been through recently with his team's last mission.

Shaking his head, Jack refused to let those horrid memories interfere with his current happiness, even if it was just going to be for a while. He spied a familiar, friendly face amongst the small crowd at the bus stop waiting to pick up their loved ones. Ambling forward while shouldering his duffle, Jack looked up as Mac met him half way and they embraced in a quick manly hug, slapping one another on the back.

"Good to see ya, Mac," Jack said with a genuine grin.

"You, too." MacGyver leaned back to look his brother up and down. His brows furrowed slightly with concern. "But…honestly, you look kinda rough. You lost some weight, Jack. Damn, you're skin and bones!"

Jack shifted uncomfortably and shrugged.

Mac's face grew serious, a frown marring his boyish features. "What happened?" He waved Jack toward his truck; it was Harry's vintage Dodge pick-up, looking newly restored. "Rough mission?"

"Uh…you could say that." Clearing his throat, Jack made a face. He tossed his duffle in the bed of the truck and then climbed into the passenger seat. "I don't wanna talk about it, okay?" he said without the usual brashness that accompanied those words when he used them on Daniel.

"Sure, Jack. Okay." Mac just nodded and turned the key in the ignition. The old truck rumbled to life and the tires crunched on the snow as they pulled out of the bus stop parking lot.

Settling back in the seat, Jack raised his hands to warm them by the vents blasting out heat—it was a new addition to the old truck for sure. They spent much of the ride to the cabin just engaging in simple small talk without touching upon anything too personal, which suited Jack just fine.

.

Jack was glad to enter into a nice warm and toasty cabin. He knew Mac had gotten there a few days earlier, and was impressed to see the enormous pile of firewood stacked outside. There was a smaller stack indoors beside the wood stove, too, to ensure there were dry logs ready to burn at all times.

Despite the difference in furnishing and much of the now updated décor, the familiar smell of their grandfather's cabin brought back some decent memories. Jack and Mac had spent many hours there with Harry, though unfortunately not when they were kids, but later on in life when they were reunited with their grandfather after a long number of years. The cabin in the middle of nowhere became somewhat of a sanctuary for the brothers. Jack figured it had become that for Harry as well during their visits, even though he'd never have admitted it.

"You can take the big room if you want. I've been staying in there the last few days, but I can just move my stuff out into the bunk room," Mac offered, pulling Jack from his memories.

"Nah, don't worry about it," Jack said quickly, waving a hand dismissively. "I can handle the small quarters for two nights, no problem."

"Are you sure?" Mac looked at him in concern. "Because I can just as easily move my stu—"

"It's fine, Mac," Jack interrupted swiftly. "Keep your stuff where it is." When his brother finally nodded at him, Jack took his duffle down the dark hall and pushed open the creaky wooden door to the small spare room. It was more of a walk-in closet than a room, the bunk beds taking up most of the space, but it was fine. Jack could deal with lying on a cramped twin bunk for just two nights. It was still bigger than the cot in his quarters at the SGC.

Tossing his duffle on the floor, Jack plopped down on the bottom bunk, careful not to bang his head on the bed above. He stretched out on his back, planning just to rest for a moment before rejoining his brother.

.

When Jack didn't come out of the bunk room for a while, Mac went over to check on him and make sure everything was okay. Leaning in the doorframe, he quirked a small amused smile when he saw that his brother was fast asleep. Quietly entering the room, he dragged the quilt off the top bunk and draped it over Jack.

As soon as he'd seen his brother get off the bus Mac had known Jack was troubled. Other than the fact that he was far too pale and skinny, Jack's expression had just been…off. There was something in his eyes that was just not right—haunted. It left Mac feeling uneasy, concern for his brother making him want to find out what had happened, despite the fact that he knew the answer to his question was probably classified. He was familiar with classified himself, and even though his work with the Phoenix Foundation meant he was allowed to know about the stargate under Cheyenne Mountain, it didn't mean he was privy to mission reports. He _could _easily hack into the system however, but he didn't want to betray Jack's trust by going behind his back.

Wandering toward the cabins small kitchen, Mac decided to get started on dinner while his brother rested. Although he was mostly vegetarian himself, Mac knew that Jack definitely wasn't and had shopped accordingly when he'd gone out to stock the old place with food. Knowing his brother appreciated some good Mexican food as much as the next guy, Mac pulled out the ingredients to make a couple burritos. Beef for Jack and veggie and rice for himself.

.

It was late by the time they'd finished eating, and MacGyver warily watched his brother rise from the table stiffly before waving at him and ambling off to bed with a muttered, "G'night, Mac."

Heading over by the old pot-bellied wood stove, Mac opened up the hatch and stuffed in a few more logs to keep it going throughout the night. The stove threw off an enormous amount of heat, effectively warming the entire small cabin.

Finding the heat comfortable rather than stifling, Mac changed into some sweats and a t-shirt before sprawling on the couch with a book.

MacGyver didn't remember dozing off, but the next thing he knew he was jerking awake and almost falling off the couch when he heard a strangled cry of pain. For a moment he had a 'Murdoc' flashback, remembering the number of times the crazed killer had come after him, but Mac quickly regained his senses when there was another cry.

_"Jack."_ Gasping, Mac scrambled off the couch, untangling his legs from the afghan over him and hurrying toward the bunk room. He found his twin brother thrashing and yelling in his sleep. Quickly flicking on the table lamp, Mac called out to him, knowing better than to try and wake Jack physically when he was in such a state. He'd made that mistake once and only once, back when he'd visited his brother at home after Jack's return from spending four months in an Iraqi prison so long ago. Mac had earned quite the shiner that night. Jack had been sick about it and his wife at the time, Sara, was worried, but Mac insisted that the mistake was his and he would be fine. Of course his brother had held onto the guilt for quite some time after that, but that was Jack for you.

Still unable to wake his brother, Mac grabbed a pillow that had been tossed to the floor and firmly chucked it at Jack's head. The whack seemed to jolt him back to awareness and he sat up, breathing hard and squinting in the light from the bedside lamp.

Mac cursed under his breath when he noticed the quilt had slipped down around Jack's waist, baring his naked torso and revealing an alarming number of fresh pink scars. They looked like knife slashes. He felt bile rise in his throat and his mouth hung open as he stared at his twin in horror. "Jesus, Jack. What the hell happened to you?!"

Jack pulled a hand through his sweat-dampened hair in agitation, setting the unruly silver strands in even more disarray. He shook his head, barely taking a moment to get his breathing under control before he flung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, storming past Mac and out of the bunk room.

MacGyver was so dumbfounded by his brother's reaction that it took him a moment or two before he followed. He tracked Jack to the back door and stepped out into the bracing cold on sock-clad feet, the frigid wooden deck draining every bit of warmth from him.

His brother stood at the edge of the deck, barefoot and bare-chested, only clothed in a pair of worn out sweats. He stared out into the snowy darkness, short, sharp breaths puffing out in clouds of condensation. Jack was unnaturally still, fists clenched by his sides and shoulders impossibly tense.

In the glow from the bright nearly-full moon in the black sky above, Mac could see that the scars on Jack's chest were mirrored on his back. Grimacing at the sight, MacGyver schooled his features so his brother wouldn't mistake the concern on his face for pity. "Jack." He heaved a sigh when his twin didn't respond. "Jack, come inside. It's freezing out here."

Jack didn't move, but his shoulders were trembling. Whether it was from the cold or the nightmare, Mac couldn't be sure.

Turning back into the cabin, Mac grabbed the afghan from the couch and then hurried back out on the deck. He strolled up behind his brother slowly and gently draped it over him, holding onto Jack's shoulders when he didn't pull away. "C'mon Jack, let's go inside."

Jack finally allowed Mac to steer him back into the warm cabin and over to the couch. He sunk down heavily and continued with his expressionless staring as Mac sat down beside him.

They stayed in the dark like that for a long while in silence, the only light being a faint warm glow from the wood stove.

_"It was bad, Mac," _Jack said roughly after a while, his voice low as he continued staring ahead.

MacGyver didn't say a word, giving his brother room to talk—or stop talking if he chose. He was patient, offering silent support.

_"They tied me up for three days…" _Jack continued, his voice soft and strained. _"Told me my team was dead. Beat me, cut me up. A slash here, a slash there. Nothin' too deep, just enough to wake me up, keep me alert. Enough to hurt like hell an' keep me bleeding, like they were trying to drain me slowly." _His body shuddered.

Lowering his chin, Mac was glad that his brother couldn't see his face. He was horrified and angry at what had been done. Knowing Jack wouldn't go into specifics of who his tormentors were or where was difficult to accept. He felt useless; there was nothing he could do. The damage was already done.

Why hadn't anyone bothered to contact him once Jack was back safe? Probably because Jack didn't want him to know, he thought ruefully, shaking his head. Damned stubborn ass. No wonder he took on Grandma MacGyver's maiden name. The O'Neills were a stubborn bunch, that was for sure. It suited Jack well.

_"I thought I was gonna bleed out an' die there…" _Jack started talking again. _"No food, no water. Three days that felt like weeks. I've had worse, but somehow this…this just felt like it was it." _He cleared his throat. _"Then outta nowhere comes my team." _Jack quirked a small, distant smile. _"Danny, Teal'c, an' Carter. Like three angels out of the mist. They saved me."_

Mac didn't know what to say to that. He despised violence even though he understood that sometimes it became a necessity. Putting an arm around his brother's shoulders, he decided it was best he didn't say anything. Mac was just incredibly grateful that Jack had such good friends looking after him, and considered himself very lucky that he hadn't lost his brother.

.


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: **Dear reviewers, I am overwhelmed by the response to this story. I didn't get a chance to reply to all of you individually, but I just want you guys to know how grateful I am for anyone taking the time to read and/or review/story alert/etc. Thank you so much! So I thought I'd be nice and give you the second chapter today. :)

Here comes the nitty gritty. Some major whumping ahead!

**Two**

For the next day and a half, Jack spent his time bonding with his brother. They went ice fishing, and played hockey on the frozen lake. They did a little hiking in the snowy woods and had home cooked meals in the cabin, reminiscing about their youth and telling stories of Grandpa Harry. Jack didn't have any nightmares the second night, and he was glad Mac didn't bring up the episode again. He wasn't being forced to talk about what happened, and he didn't care to.

After packing up the cabin on the morning of their last day, Mac had stored away Harry's pick-up in the garage he'd built a year earlier and then called Marshall Gentry from the old corner store for a ride to the bus stop. The bus ride took them to the train station, and before noon Jack and Mac were on the train for the two-and-a-half hour ride to Colorado Springs.

"So, how's my sister-in-law?" Mac brought up semi-casually while they were in the dining car having sandwiches for lunch.

Jack stopped eating and gave his brother an odd look. Had he thought something was wrong between them? "Fiiine," he answered slowly and suspiciously.

"Just checking, relax." Mac rolled his eyes. "I guess I'm just kinda surprised she let you come all the way out here on your own."

"Things are fine between us, _Angus_," he growled pointedly, using his twin's despised given name in retaliation.

"Hey, hey, watch it with that, will ya?" Shaking his head, Mac gave him a serious look. "Sam didn't get hurt on that last mission where you…" he trailed off, waving a hand in the air vaguely. "Right?"

"No, no, she's fine," Jack answered quickly, shaking his head. He ducked his head then, a little sheepish. "She was worried about me, actually. Wanted to come along." He shrugged. "She got stuck doin' work stuff that she couldn't put off." Jack looked up at his brother again and decided it was the perfect time to change the subject. "What about you and Nikki? Still together?"

Mac's face lit up with a genuine smile. "Yeah, we're still together and things are good. It's just hard, you know? We both work a lot and it's difficult finding time to actually _be _together."

"Hmph." Jack reached for his can of Coke. "Yeah, I hear you." He knew he and his brother had both had their share of heartaches in love and life, but Jack knew that—at least for him—he had finally found his perfect match. Sam was the balm to his damaged soul; being with her just felt right, which is why he'd married her. Jack just hoped that Nikki was the same for Mac, and he had a feeling she was. His brother seemed to finally be losing that itch that wouldn't let him settle down, that fear of commitment.

"Hey, but at least you get to be with Sam for Christmas, right?"

"Huh?" Jack shook his head to focus, brows furrowed. "Wait, Nikki's not meeting you in the 'Springs? You coulda brought her along ya know."

"I know." Mac nodded and sighed, picking at the crust on the last little piece of his sandwich. "She's on a long assignment. She said she'd try and catch a flight this way if she got done in time but she wasn't sure."

"I'm sure she'll try her best to make it," Jack offered encouragingly. "More than a week before Christmas is plenty of time." The moment he'd met Nikki he'd liked her instantly. She'd reminded him of Sam, as she wasn't afraid to go toe to toe with Mac. Jack knew deep down in his gut that she was the right person for his brother. He really hoped she'd be able to join them all for Christmas at his place.

.

While leaving the dining car on the way back to where they'd been sitting, Mac flung an arm out toward an empty seat as the train jolted slightly. A few steps ahead of him, Jack did the same, then glanced backwards to check he was okay. "I'm fine," Mac assured him. "We'd better get back to our seats."

Jack nodded and turned around again, then opened the sliding door between train cars. Mac always hated this part; it made him nervous.

As his brother slid open the second door leading to their car, the train lurched violently and jolted. Mac dove forward, shoving both Jack and himself through the door. They landed hard in a heap, sprawled in the middle of the aisle. He heard Jack mutter a curse, and then there was an unsettling screech of metal as the train car jolted again, and they were both left tumbling, banging against each other and the inside of the car as they were viciously tossed about like ragdolls.

Mac realized he must have fallen unconscious at some point when he opened his eyes to a blinding headache and a crooked world that smelled like heated metal. Choking on the dust, he struggled to orient himself and discovered he'd been inches away from getting his head crushed by a bent panel of the train car. Struggling out from the cramped space, a sharp stabbing pain accompanied by excruciating agony raced through his left arm and he fell back for a moment, breathing hard.

Quickly coming to the conclusion that his arm was definitely broken, MacGyver decided to do an inventory of the rest of his body before attempting to move again. The sounds of creaking, moving metal was still in the air, and he couldn't hear much else. Worry about his brother crept into his thoughts and he quickly hurried on with discovering how badly he was injured. He felt what he knew to be blood dripping at his forehead and reached up with his good hand to probe at the wound. It seemed like a pretty decent gash at his hairline, and judging by the way his head felt, Mac was almost certain he had a decent concussion.

"Jack?" he called out, despite the throbbing it caused in his aching head. From his position on the tipped side of the train car, there was too much twisted metal and busted seats for him to really get a good look around.

Mac felt pretty banged up allover, but nothing worse than his head or left arm. He managed to drag himself out from the claustrophobic rubble within crushing distance of his head and achingly got to his feet. There hadn't been anyone in the train car beside him and his brother at the time of the crash, so when Mac caught sight of a body half hidden by debris, he knew it was Jack.

Since the bashed up train car was lying on its side, Mac had to navigate around and over awkward pieces of broken seats and windows as well as panels that had completely been ripped away from the inner car.

When Mac got closer and managed to shove off most of the debris on top of Jack, he found himself being incredibly grateful that his brother was unconscious at the moment. Jack's lower right leg was gone, smashed into a bloody pulp and lying mere inches from where it should've been attached just under his knee. There was a mess of blood and shattered bone, and the gory sight combined with the nausea from his head injury had Mac diving off to the side and retching violently.

"Oh god, oh god," he gasped, leaning against what had either been the floor or the ceiling and trying to regain his breath. The shock of his brother's so obvious injury had him reeling, and for that moment he felt so powerless and lost, his mind a blank. Mac didn't know what to do.

Struggling to pull himself together for Jack's sake, MacGyver dragged himself back to his injured brother's side and knelt down. It took some effort to get his jacket off and dig out his pocket knife one handed, but he managed. Cutting part of the liner out of his jacket, Mac used a long strip to fashion a tourniquet. His stomach churned again as he was faced with the bloody stump below his brother's right knee, then forcibly detached himself as he tied it off awkwardly with one hand. He cut up more of the inside of his jacket and part of the cotton t-shirt under his sweater to make a pressure bandage that he then wrapped around the end of Jack's leg.

Relieved that he could see his brother's chest rising and falling—albeit shallowly—Mac ran his hand over Jack's other leg, torso, arms, chest, neck, and head to check for other injuries. He found a few cuts, but nothing very deep, and he didn't find anything else. Mac just hoped there weren't internal injuries that he couldn't detect.

Afraid to wake Jack, knowing his brother would be in unbearable pain, Mac got up again to find something to use to splint his own arm with. He found a piece of an armrest and figured it was perfect for the job. The only problem he was going to have was actually strapping his arm. Mac grimaced at the thought. Wrapping someone else's…injury one handed was one thing, but doing his own arm that was another matter altogether. Damn, but he needed Jack's hands for this.

As if on cue, Jack made a groaning noise low in his throat as he started to come around. His face immediately twisted in pain as his dark eyes flicked open.

Acting quickly, Mac pulled a metal panel over the smashed, severed remains of his brother's lower leg so Jack wouldn't see it. He knew if Jack sat up he was going to see the bandaged stump, though, and didn't know what to do. Kneeling at Jack's side to try and retain his focus as much as possible, Mac put his good hand on his brother's chest in an attempt to prevent him from moving too much right away. "Jack? Jack, buddy, look at me."

"Agh! Shit!" Jack cried out in pain as he shifted his legs slightly and then grabbed for the hand on his chest. "Shit!" he cursed again, gasping, then struggled to focus on his twin's face. _"Mac?" _his voice barely a whisper, _"What happened?" _

"I—I think the train derailed or something. There was a crash." Mac's head thumped mercilessly and he realized there was still blood dripping down his face. His brother's eyes were staring up at him, alarmed. "It's alright, it's not that bad," Mac insisted, grabbing for another piece of shredded cloth from his jacket and holding it to the head wound.

_"What...what else?" _Jack wanted to know, eyeing him with concern. _"You…hurt. Where?"_

Mac grimaced, his face tight with pain and the anxiety of knowing that Jack would realize something was very wrong with his leg soon enough. "Right arm's broken pretty bad."

Jack's eyes flicked to the arm Mac was holding close to his side. His brow furrowed momentarily, and then he started to move again and grit his teeth in agony, tears springing to his eyes as he clenched his brother's good hand hard. _"Mac."_

"Yeah?" He gulped, figuring he knew what was coming.

Swallowing audibly, Jack breathed hard, his eyes flashing with desperation. _"What's wrong with…my leg?"_

Mac's jaw clenched and his gaze absently shot to the missing limb. He pulled his eyes shut and his chin trembled as he fought the sob that was clawing its way out of his throat.

"Mac," Jack pleaded, gripping his hand tighter.

Shaking his head, the sob broke free as he choked out his words. _"Your lower right leg…it—it's gone, Jack. I'm sorry."_

_"What?!" _Jack gasped in disbelief, struggling up on his elbows to see for himself. Mac knew the moment his brother had realized, his dark brown eyes widening in absolute horror. "No, no, no, no," he muttered in denial, shaking his head and dropping back down. _"NO! SHIT!" _

MacGyver felt tears streaking down his cheeks, his brother holding his good hand so tightly that he couldn't pull back to wipe them away. His head pounded harder, making black spots dance in his vision, but he knew he had to rein Jack in and calm him down despite his own shock. "Jack," he called out pleadingly. "Jack, listen to me. It's gonna be okay, alright? We're gonna get out of here and get some help, but I need your hands for a moment, first. Please Jack, I need you to focus."

Jack banged his head on the floor (technically the wall) a few times before a stony military mask shuttered down over his face. He met Mac's eyes and nodded mutely.

"I need to sit you up, okay?" Mac said gently. When Jack allowed him to help get him sitting upright, leaning against part of a seat, he handed his brother a wide expanse of his ripped jacket and then the broken off armrest he planned to use as a splint. "You gotta wrap my arm for me, Jack. I can't do it myself."

With hands shaking from shock, Jack placed Mac's broken arm against the flat part of the arm rest and began securing it tightly with the cloth, straightening it out first.

Mac hissed and flinched as pain shot up to his shoulder, biting on his lower lip to keep himself from crying out. His brother had just lost a leg and all he had was a little headache and a broken arm. MacGyver didn't feel like he had the right to cry out in pain right now.

.

Jack swallowed the lump in his throat as he leaned back after splinting his brother's badly disfigured arm. He felt shaky and cold, and knew it was from the shock. What was left of his leg was screaming in pain so badly that it made him sick to his stomach, but he forced the nausea back. Jack needed something to focus on besides the loss of his leg or he'd never get through this.

_That's it Jack, me boyo. Concentrate, _he thought determinedly. _Focus on the objective. Keep Mac safe, get out, get help. _

He heard his brother moving around the twisted wreck of the train car and turned his head.

"The door's blocked." Mac looked up. "We'll have to climb out one of the windows."

Jack grunted. "No, _you'll _hafta climb out." He heaved a sigh. "I don't think I'm goin' anywhere right now."

Mac glared at him. "I'm not leaving without you, Jack."

"Yes you are," Jack said determinedly. He suddenly felt lightheaded and shook his head to clear it. His heart was hammering away in his chest, his body struggling to compete with the massive amounts of blood loss.

"How am I supposed to climb up there with one arm?" Mac shot back stubbornly.

"You'll…figure it out. You're resourceful that way." He knew his brother was just making excuses not to leave him.

MacGyver frowned then staggered sideways and reached out to steady himself.

Jack studied him warily. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Mac straightened up and looked around the train car, presumably for something to climb up on if he had to. He staggered again and put a hand over his head where he'd wrapped a makeshift bandage around the gash at his hairline.

_"Angus," _Jack growled.

His brother heaved a resigned sigh. "My head hurts."

Alarmed at the admission, especially considering that scary looking head wound, Jack asked seriously, "How bad?"

Mac looked away. "Bad."

.

It took hours for MacGyver to move enough debris to be able to climb toward one of the train car windows that was now on the ceiling. Jack figured it shouldn't have taken so long, but Mac was hindered with his one arm and the head injury had made him tired and dizzy. Jack kept telling his twin to slow down and take breaks, despite his own desperation to get the hell out of there.

As Mac worked on climbing out, they finally heard sirens in the distance, and Jack stole another glance at the bloody, bandaged stump below his right knee. There was a lot of blood pooled under the injury and Jack caught himself drifting off and on. He felt colder than before, despite the winter coat he had on, and knew he and his brother were running out of time. He couldn't stop shaking and he felt sick.

The blare of sirens soon sounded like they were right on top of them, and as Mac broke through the window and poked his head out, Jack could hear his twin's pained, desperate shouts for help before consciousness left him.

.


	3. Chapter 3

**Note: **Thanks again for the reviews. And for those of you concerned that Jack & Mac's birthdays don't match up and other reasons why they couldn't be twins, well...that's why this is an AU.

**Three**

The accident scene had been chaotic. Mac remembered looking around at the wreckage in shock as soon as he'd been able to get halfway out the window to summon help. There were rescue crews attending to the enormous number of injured passengers everywhere. He had some vague recollections of one of the firefighters telling him they'd get them out soon, so he'd crawled back down into the tipped train car to sit and wait with his brother.

Jack had been unconscious, and as Mac struggled to get to him, his headache reached a crescendo and he'd passed out cold half way there.

He awoke sometime later to a gentle beeping sound, a surrounding warmth, and the antiseptic smells of a hospital room. Mac felt like someone had stuffed cotton in his mouth, and though his head didn't hurt nearly as much as before, it still felt as though someone had rammed a nail straight into his brain. He was foggy and sluggish.

"MacGyver?" a gentle, desperate voice spoke softly to his left.

Turning his head carefully, Mac blinked several time to let his blurry sight come together until there was only one set of teary eyes looking at him in concern. _"Ni—Nikki?" _he croaked with confusion.

"Mac, you scared me half to death!" she exclaimed.

_"Sorry." _He winced, grimacing and weakly lifting his right hand. _"Not…not so…loud." _

Nikki reached out and gently stroked the side of his face. "We almost lost you," she murmured with a depth of emotion she normally didn't show. "Both of you."

_Both of—? Jack! _Mac struggled to sit up and look around, but Nikki pressed her hand firmly against his chest. _"Where…wh-where's Jack?"_

"Take it easy," Nikki instructed gently, her eyes soft and sympathetic. "He's in the next room over. Sam is there with him."

Mac lay back, somewhat mollified. He blew out a breath and closed his eyes briefly. "Good." His brows furrowed. "Is he…okay?"

Nikki had her lips pursed when he opened his eyes again. "They just brought him out of surgery about an hour or so ago. They had to clean up his…ah…his leg."

Mac just nodded, trying to stave off the threat of tears for his brother. "But…but he's going to be okay?"

"Yeah." She smiled thinly at him and took his hand. "No better than you, no worse."

His brows furrowed with confusion. What was she talking about? He wasn't even that bad. All he had was a concussion and a broken arm, right? It was hardly life threatening like Jack's injury.

"MacGyver, you have a skull fracture," Nikki explained gently, her brows quivering with worry. "You passed out on the scene and the paramedics couldn't wake you. I—I was afraid you wouldn't wake up again."

Surprised at the tears now spilling freely down her cheeks, Mac clutched Nikki's hand to his chest. "It's okay. I'm…gonna be okay now. When can I see Jack?"

She sent him a warm, loving smile and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I'll ask the doctor, alright?"

He nodded gingerly, trying not to upset the ache in his head. _"Thanks." _

.

Jack had been out since the surgery. The doctor told her that he'd done well, but he lost a lot of blood and they weren't really expecting him to wake up tonight. The hospital closest to the site of the train wreck had been an hour away, and as soon as she'd gotten word, Sam had taken off out of the mountain like a bat out of hell, not caring what anyone would think of her behavior. He was her husband and she was damned well going to be there for him. Daniel and Teal'c would've joined her for sure if they hadn't been off-world with SG-13 when the call came in.

Janet had wanted to know as soon as Jack got out of surgery, so Sam had called her and Janet promised she'd be on her way as soon as she was able to leave the base so Sam could have a friend at her side. Right now, though, she was just glad to have this time alone with Jack. They could get through this, she was sure of it.

A sound at the door caught Sam's attention and she turned, swiping at her cheeks when she noticed the moisture on her face. She hadn't even realized she'd been crying.

"Sam?"

Sniffling, she wiped at her eyes again and got to her feet. "Nikki, hey. Come in."

Nikki quietly slipped into the room in deference to the unconscious patient in the bed. She glanced at Jack briefly, then smiled warmly at Sam. "MacGyver woke up."

Sam felt part of the weight lifted off her. "Good, I'm glad." She'd grown to know and love Jack's twin brother since they day they were first introduced, and she knew Mac would be the first thing on Jack's mind when he woke. "How is he?"

"He's good, amazingly." Nikki smiled. "Despite the skull fracture the doctors have determined that he hasn't suffered any significant brain damage and they expect him to make a full recovery. Barring any complications they're going to let him go after a few days of observation." She looked at the bed again and asked softly, "And Jack? Mac wanted to know when he could see him. I told him I'd ask the doctor."

Sam sighed softly. "He hasn't woken again since his surgery, but they didn't expect him to tonight."

Nikki nodded with understanding. "I'll let Mac know."

When the other woman turned to leave, Sam stopped her. "Nikki, wait. If…If the doctor says he's up to it, I don't see why Mac couldn't come in and see Jack for a few minutes. Maybe it'll help _him_ at least."

"Alright." Nikki smiled with another nod. "I think Mac would like that."

Sam watched Nikki go and sat on the edge of Jack's bed, taking his hand between both of her own. She began gently massaging his bony knuckles, watching his face for any signs of waking, despite what the doctors had said. They didn't know Jack like she did. If he wanted to wake up earlier than they thought he would, well he'd damn well wake up. He was stubborn that way.

"C'mon, Jack," she whispered, keeping her hands moving against his. She kissed his knuckles and kept them pressed to her lips for a long moment, closing her eyes. "Wake up and tell me you'll be okay."

.

Jack didn't regain consciousness when his brother came to see him that night, but he did wake up early the next morning. Having snuck up on the bed during the night, carefully curling around him, Sam woke to the feeling of his arm coming up around her back and holding her closer. He murmured something sleepily, and she lifted her head from his chest to see his face. "Jack?"

His eyes began moving rapidly beneath the lids before slowly fluttering open. Struggling to focus, Jack's brows furrowed in confusion. _"Sam?"_

"I'm here, Jack." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek before slowly swinging her legs over the side of the bed and sitting up, facing him. "Do you remember what—"

_"Mac!" _he gasped suddenly, his eyes darting around frantically. "Where—"

"It's alright, Jack, he's gonna be okay." Sam patted his chest soothingly with a gentle, disarming smile on her face. "He had a fractured skull along with the broken arm, but he's doing well and has been awake and talking since last night. The doctors even let him come and see you for a few minutes when you got out of surgery. He's just next door."

Unsure if Jack remembered the loss of his leg at this point in time, Sam was reluctant to say anymore and decided it was better to give him a few moments to gather his thoughts on his own. Her blue-eyed gaze flicked to the bag of blood hanging next to the saline above his bed, and she frowned slightly, thinking about how much blood he'd lost in the accident.

Jack's unfettered left hand groped for the bed controls and he grimaced as he let the bed sit him up. Once upright, he stared blankly at the empty space beneath the blanket where the rest of his right leg should have been.

Sam grew concerned about his reaction, noticing the minute twitches in his jaw as he grit his teeth. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it firmly. "It'll be alright. We can adjust."

He gave her a funny look, brows furrowed. "We?"

"That's right, Jack," she said firmly, confidently. "_We_. You don't have to do this alone. You're my husband. I love you and nothing is going to change that." Sam was almost afraid that he was going to shut down on her until she noticed the twitching at the corners of his mouth as he quirked a small grin.

"You love me, huh?" he teased, sounding amused all of a sudden and forgetting that he'd been dwelling on his newfound disability.

"Yes, Jack O'Neill," Sam said stubbornly. "I love you very, very much." Grabbing his face between her hands, she kissed him straight on the mouth, smiling against his lips as his hand came up to cup the back of her head, keeping her in place.

"I love you, too," Jack said a little breathlessly when they finally broke apart.

"Good." Still smiling brightly, Sam slid off the edge of the bed. "I'm going to go tell the nurse that you're awake so she can let the doctor know. Are you okay?"

"Yup." He nodded, resting his head back tiredly, though there was a contented look upon his face. "I'm okay."

.


	4. Chapter 4

**Four**

MacGyver had been released from the hospital after a few days, and then Janet got Jack transferred to the Academy Hospital to finish his recuperation closer to home and under Fraiser's care. He and Sam offered to let Mac and Nikki stay at their place for a while rather than renting a hotel room or something, especially since they weren't going to be around anyway. Sam had taken some holiday leave so she could stay with Jack at the hospital as much as possible, and when Daniel and Teal'c returned from their mission, they'd come by to visit often as well.

Christmas was fast approaching, and although Janet had assured her that Jack was recovering very well, she wasn't sure yet if he'd be able to come home for the holiday. Sam kept trying to keep his spirits up, worried that he'd start to slip into depression and wanting to make sure he stayed as far from that state of mind as possible.

Hearing someone approaching the hospital room, Sam sat up in the chair by Jack's bed and smiled when Mac came striding in. She stood up and went to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, careful of his broken arm resting in its sling. "Hey, Mac, how are you feeling?" Sam had been spending so much time with Jack at the hospital that she had only seen his brother a few times since he'd been discharged, usually when she left to get things from home.

"I'm…alright." He gave a one-shouldered shrug and glanced at his slumbering brother, lowering his voice instantly. "Still get tired kinda easy, headaches and all that. But it's nice to be out of the hospital."

Sam smiled warmly with a nod, then moved closer to the head of Jack's bed, gesturing for Mac to have a seat.

Seeing what she intended to do, Mac waved his good hand at Sam_. "Oh, you don't have to wake him up,"_ he said softly.

"It's okay," Sam insisted dismissively. "The nurses will be bringing his lunch in about half an hour anyway."

"Are you sure?" Mac asked with an uncomfortable grimace. Apparently he knew how grumpy Jack could get if he was woken before he was ready just as well as she did.

"Yes, Mac. Sit," Sam commanded pointing to the chair again. She turned back to Jack and perched on the edge of the mattress, reaching up to gently thread her fingers through his unruly hair. "Jack? Jack, it's time to wake up."

_"Mm?" _Jack's head shifted listlessly from side to side as he started to come around. Once he'd been taken off the blood bag and some color had returned his cheeks, Jack had a little more energy than he had a few days earlier and looked healthier. He was still weak from the severity of his injury though, like Mac was, and the hefty dosages of painkillers had him waking groggy and often a little disoriented.

Sam cupped the side of his stubbly face tenderly. "Look who's come to visit."

_"You?" _he murmured, quirking a crooked little smile without opening his eyes yet.

"No." She laughed softly. "I've hardly left." Sam glanced over at Mac who was watching them with mild amusement. "Your brother came by."

_"Mac?" _Dragging his eyelids open, Jack blinked a few times and looked at his brother sitting in the chair near the foot of the bed.

"Hey, buddy," MacGyver greeted cheerfully, pushing to his feet. "How you feeling?"

"Tired of answering that question," Jack grumped, clearing his throat.

Sam smiled brightly at the two of them and patted Jack's shoulder. "I'm going to see if I can find Janet to bug for a while; I think she's here today. You boys behave now." She winked at Jack and brushed Mac's good arm in an affectionate gesture as she sauntered out of the room, giving the brothers some time alone.

.

Jack tried to hide his grimace as he sat himself up a little straighter, using the bed controls to aid him. He watched his twin push the chair by the foot of the bed closer before wearily sinking into it. "Are _you _okay?"

Mac looked up and smiled tightly. "I'm…healing." He adjusted the sling cradling his broken left arm. "You know how it goes with skull fractures."

Grimacing at the reminder of his long ago parachute mishap, Jack nodded. He fiddled with the edge of his blanket distractedly. His leg was killing him, but he didn't want to say anything. It was weird; he could still feel it—the lower half of his leg—like it was still there. He just hoped that feeling wouldn't last.

"Jack."

"Hm?" Jack glanced up sharply, seeing the disconcerted look on his brother's face.

"You've been strangling the bed sheets for the last few minutes," Mac pointed out, waving at one of his hands at his side.

Jack grimaced and forcibly unclenched his fists. He awkwardly smoothed out the blankets.

Mac started to push out of his chair. "Do you want me to get a doctor or—"

"No," Jack said quickly, waving him back down. "I'm fine. I'm just—" he heaved a sigh. "It hurts."

"Your…your uh—the wound?" Mac bit down on his lower lip as he gestured toward the absent limb hidden beneath the blanket.

"My _whole leg_, Mac," he ground out, making a face. "It hurts like it's there. I can still friggin' feel it."

"That must be pretty, uh, weird."

Heaving a sigh, Jack nodded. He leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling for a moment, desperate to pull his thoughts elsewhere. "She took care of me, ya know," he blurted softly, almost a whisper.

"Huh?" Mac gave him an odd look, confused by the non-sequitur.

_"Sam," _he breathed. "After our last mission," Jack began to explain. "When the doc finally let me loose, she got some time off an' took care of me. Barely left my side. I was…pretty messed up. Not just physically." He frowned at his bed sheets. "My head just wasn't right after that one. Sam stuck by me though, got me through it."

Nodding with understanding, Mac smiled tightly and reached out to pat Jack on the hand. "Hey, I'm glad. I've always seen that Sam's really good for you."

"Yeah." A wistful smile spread across Jack's face. "She is."

"She'll get you through this too, ya know," Mac insisted confidently, saying the words he knew Jack needed to hear.

Jack briefly closed his eyes. Despite his unyielding faith in Sam, he still had that doubt in the back of his mind, that little voice claiming she'd leave him now that he was crippled. He tried to push it back, clinging to the hope that his brother—and his instincts—were right.

.

Finding Janet doing paperwork in her office, Sam chatted with her for a while, staying away from Jack's room long enough so that the twins had an adequate amount of time to talk if they needed to. Jack wasn't much of a talker when it came to feelings and the like, but she'd had a hunch he'd open up to his brother if there was something he needed to get off his chest.

Returning to the room after she was sure they'd already had lunch together, Sam found both Mac and Jack fast asleep. They looked kind of adorable, but poor MacGyver was slumped awkwardly in the hard, uncomfortable chair, and she knew he'd be in pain when he woke.

"Mac?" Sam whispered, gently jostling his good arm.

He jerked his head up and groaned, wincing and bringing his hand up to the bandage on his head as he sat up. Mac blinked blearily up at Sam before his attention shot over to his still-sleeping brother.

"Did Nikki drop you off and go back to the house?" she asked him gently as he hunched forward, cradling his aching head.

_"Yeah,"_ he murmured without looking up again.

Sam looked over at the empty second bed in the room and then reached for MacGyver's uninjured arm to help him up. "Come on. Why don't you lie down over here and I'll call her to come pick you up."

"No, I'm fine. I—" Mac stumbled dizzily and Sam quickly wrapped an arm around his waist to stop him from falling. He grimaced. "Maybe I'm not so fine."

"It's okay." Sam smiled gently and brought him over to the bed. When he climbed up weakly and laid back, she adjusted the pillows for him and put one on his stomach, gently resting his broken arm over it in the sling. "Stay put. I'll give Nikki a call and then go see if Janet can give you something."

Mac stretched his good arm up across his eyes. "Okay."

"I'll be right back."

_"Thanks, Sam,"_ MacGyver murmured as she went for the door.

.

Jack started getting restless not long after Nikki had come to pick up his brother. Sam took up residence on the bed where Mac had been resting while he was there, and was lying down reading a magazine when Jack's movements and vocal outbursts alerted her.

Climbing off the bed, Sam took the few steps over to Jack and gently, but firmly, pressed her hand down on his IV-tethered wrist so his flailing wouldn't pull the needle out. His legs were kicking beneath the blankets, and his face was contorted in pain. Sam wasn't sure if he was dreaming about the train crash or SG-1's traumatic last mission where he'd been captured. Either way, she didn't want him to continue reliving it.

"Jack. Jack, wake up." Sam gently rubbed up and down his arm, trying to wake him. His breathing was rapid and shallow, and she could see his eyes moving frantically beneath the lids. "Colonel!" she raised her voice and he went still all of a sudden. His brown eyes snapped open, wild and frantic, but when Jack's gaze finally settled on her face, he seemed to calm down.

_"Sam?"_ he murmured, controlling his breathing. He tilted his head, trying to look all around the room. "Where's—?"

"Mac's fine. He was a little run down so Nikki came and took him back to our house," Sam responded swiftly, understanding his immediate, yet unvoiced, worry.

Jack cleared his throat and fumbled for the bed controls to sit himself up. He shifted his legs and his face instantly creased in pain.

Despite Jack's stubbornness preventing him from actually crying out, Sam could tell he was in considerable pain when she noticed his fists clenched in the bed sheets. Finding his call button by the bed, Sam hit it to alert the nurse.

Much to her surprise, Janet swooped into the room instead of the nurse and then quickly went to the medicine cabinet to retrieve a syringe. She swiftly injected the painkiller into Jack's IV port and then gently rubbed his forearm. "Easy now, sir," Janet crooned softly.

Jack gradually relaxed as the drug took effect, his eyes moving around somewhat dazedly. _"Thanks," _he breathed out gratefully.

Sam looked up at Janet questioningly.

"I was just about to come in and check on him," the doctor explained with a comforting smile.

Nodding, Sam watched Janet move around Jack's bed, checking his monitors and vitals, then telling him she was going to lift the blanket to get a look at his leg. The doctor sent a look Sam's way, silently asking if she'd rather leave the room for this. It would be the first time she'd seen the stump below Jack's knee, but she wasn't worried about her own reaction, she was more worried about how Jack would feel.

"Jack?" Sam called for his attention and he groggily shifted his focus to her. "Do you want me to step out?"

He blinked at her slowly with a confused expression on his face like he didn't even know why she was asking him that. "No," he finally answered softly, his dark eyes almost oddly pleading. "Stay."

As Jack grabbed for her hand, she sat on the edge of the bed by his left side, stroking his knuckles with her thumb. Sam anxiously watched Janet unwrap the bandage, and found that she was surprised at how clean the wound actually looked. A flap of skin had been pulled up over the end of where Jack's leg had been severed, and there was one long 'seam' of neatly done stitches that kept everything together. She was impressed, but aware that she never should've doubted any of the Academy Hospital surgeons' skills. The end of Jack's leg still had bruising and redness from the trauma, as well as some blood that had seeped out, but otherwise it wasn't as gruesome as Sam had expected.

"This is healing nicely, Colonel," Janet commented softly as she carefully cleaned the wound around the stitching and prepared to re-bandage it.

Jack tightened his grip on Sam's hand as Janet worked, and Sam continued to soothingly rub his knuckles in sympathy. He kept staring at the end of his leg with furrowed brows, like it wasn't even a part of him, but a foreign object. He grunted and jerked slightly as Janet wound the gauze around his stump.

"You okay?" Sam pulled his hand into her lap. As he responded with a shaky nod, she reached up with her free hand and threaded her fingers into Jack's unruly spikes of hair.

Janet finished tending to his leg and pulled the blanket back over him. "How's your pain, Colonel? It's alright if you need a little more than what I gave you."

"M'fine," Jack muttered quickly, his voice already taking on the hazy, drugged softness again.

"Okay, I'll let you rest now." Janet lightly patted his arm on her side. "I'll ask the nurses not to bother you too much if they can help it."

_"Thanks, Doc." _

Sam sent Janet a quick wave and then crawled onto Jack's bed with him, careful not to really jostle him. She rested her head on his chest and put her arm protectively across his waist as he wrapped his own arm around her.

Jack breathed in and out deeply as he let the drugs relax him. _"Thank you…for staying. You don't have to."_

"I know," she murmured softly, nuzzling her cheek against his warm, gown-covered chest. "I want to."

.


	5. Chapter 5

**Note: **Thanks again for all the reviews. :) Enjoy.

**Five**

After a few more days the doctors had Jack out of bed and standing for short periods of time and getting around in a wheelchair. Another two days and his strength had returned enough for him to get around on crutches, alternating use of those and the chair. He still had a lot more healing to do before they could get him fitted for a prosthetic, but the specialist was confident that they could get that process started within the next two and a half months. That gave Jack a goal to work toward, which was something he desperately needed in order to keep positive about the whole situation.

Finally, on Christmas Eve, Jack was sent home. He would be going to occupational therapy and physical therapy several times a week on an outpatient basis, but because Sam had assured the doctors he had people at home to help out, he wouldn't need to spend a week in rehab.

While Jack carefully hobbled up the front walkway after Sam helped him out of the car, she took out his wheelchair and pushed it along behind him, hovering close by just in case. Janet had warned her not to let him overdo it and to coax him into using the chair when he was tired. Sam already knew that wouldn't be an easy task; a determined Jack O'Neill was a force to be reckoned with.

Much to Sam's relief, MacGyver was awaiting their arrival and met Jack at the door, swinging it open wide to allow his entry. She sent Jack's brother a warm, grateful smile as Mac hovered around Jack while he hobbled his way into the house.

Nikki came up to Sam to take the wheelchair while Mac followed Jack down to the lounge. "How's he doing?" she asked, her eyes tracking the twins.

"Better. Glad to be out of the hospital." Sam moved with Nikki into the kitchen, leaving the wheelchair by the dining room table. "Daniel and Teal'c wanted to come over, but I asked them to give us a day so Jack can get settled. We'll have everyone over for Christmas tomorrow and I figured we can just order takeout for tonight."

"Yeah, that's fine." Nikki nodded with understanding. "I think Mac will get more rest now knowing Jack's home. He hasn't been sleeping very well; the head injury and all."

Sam's heart was warmed with how much Nikki cared for Mac, the same way she cared for Jack. The woman was a workaholic, much like herself, but would move heaven and Earth to be with her loved one when he needed her.

.

At the end of the evening, Sam walked with Jack to their room and got him to lie down so she could change the dressing on his leg before bed. He'd just had his painkillers and was practically asleep, so Sam was grateful he wouldn't be feeling too much while she tended to him. When she was done, she helped Jack change into some sweats that had the right pant leg cut off, and then handed him a long-sleeved knit shirt.

Sam put on her own pajamas and then got into bed while Jack sat and changed his shirt. Her eyes briefly darted to the knife scars on his back and chest, remembering what he'd just been through before this recent tragedy. She quickly swallowed the lump in her throat and schooled her features as Jack pulled the clean shirt on and laid down, trying to find a comfortable position.

Wanting to show Jack that she wasn't afraid to get close to him, even though she was worried about hurting him accidently, Sam scooted over beneath the blankets and snuggled against his chest. She sighed softly with relief when he wrapped his left arm around her.

.

Feeling a sudden draft in the middle of the night, and the sensation of the mattress shifting, Sam opened her eyes and squinted at Jack's silhouetted form moving at the end of the bed. Confusion clouded her mind suddenly, until she watched Jack attempt to stand. Before she could get her voice and limbs to cooperate, Jack had abruptly rose on his one foot before losing balance and falling forward with a yelp of surprise.

Sam scrambled across the bed as she heard him hit the floor, followed by muffled cursing and exclamations of pain. "Jack!" She got out of bed and knelt beside him on the floor, pulling him to a sitting position as he cursed, rocking in agony and clutching his bad leg just above the bandaged stump.

"Easy, easy," she crooned helplessly, pulling his head against her chest and rubbing his back with her other hand. Sam blearily eyed the clock on the nightstand; it was too soon for him to have another dose of painkillers.

Jack grunted, trying to control his breathing and still clutching at his leg.

"What happened?" Sam asked gently, trying not to sound upset with him for being so foolish and not asking for help. He hadn't even reached for the crutches leaning beside the bed.

_"I forgot," _Jack growled lowly, sounding irritated—not with her, but with himself.

_Oh. _That explained the lack of crutches. Before they'd left the hospital Jack's orthopedic surgeon had pulled her aside and warned her that there would be times where he could forget he was missing a limb, especially if he was groggy from drugs or just waking up. Sam continued rubbing Jack's back as she felt the tenseness in his shoulders abate slightly. "Do you think you can get up now? I want to make sure you're not bleeding."

Jack grunted, his face tight with pain as she helped him back on the bed and turned on the light. "I don't think I am," he murmured, lying back and throwing an arm across his eyes.

Sam reached for the edge of the bandage, but Jack's slightly-shaky hand gently coming down on hers stopped her. She looked up and locked eyes with him, seeing the silent plea in his glossy brown orbs, the exhaustion.

_"It'll keep 'till morning," _Jack insisted, his voice getting low and muzzy.

Pursing her lips, Sam nodded slowly and reached over to turn out the light. She moved around the bed and got back in on her side. She knew changing the bandage would be painful, and if she did it now he probably wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, so she'd conceded.

As she pulled the blankets back up over them, Sam leaned over and kissed Jack's cheek, settling against his shoulder and putting a hand on his chest to feel him breathing.

_"Sam?"_ Jack muttered after a short beat of silence.

"Yeah?"

He groaned. _"I still hafta pee."_

Sam turned her face into his neck and laughed softly. Hearing him chuckle in return was like music to her ears. "Why didn't you say something before?"

Jack shrugged. "I just remembered why I was gettin' up in the first place." He heaved a sigh, then pushed himself to sit up when she moved off his shoulder.

"Okay." Sighing softly, she got out of bed again and went around to Jack's side to help him. "Crutches this time."

.

"Mac, you'd better make some regular pancakes along with those wheat banana ones of yours. I don't think your brother would stand for it," Nikki teased as MacGyver was mixing the batter at the counter on Christmas morning.

He just waved his spoon at her and grinned. "Aw, he'll like 'em. Have some faith." Mac paused for a moment and then jerked his chin toward the fridge. "On second thought, better throw some bacon and eggs on just in case."

Nikki laughed and got out a frying pan.

Mac smiled as he watched her. It had been a long time since he and Nikki had done anything this domestic and it was pretty nice, especially considering that it was Christmas. They'd been together almost three years now, but this was actually the first time they'd been able to spend a holiday together because of work. He wished the circumstances were slightly different, but it was still nice.

Turning at the sound of crutches tapping along the wood floor, Mac smiled when Jack hobbled into the kitchen with Sam right behind him, the both of them still in their pajamas. "Morning. Merry Christmas," he greeted.

"Merry Christmas," Jack murmured with a quick smile.

"Merry Christmas Mac, Nikki. Oh, you guys didn't have to make breakfast," Sam said, looking at all the food they were preparing.

"We wanted to," Nikki assured her with a warm smile. "It's Christmas." She shrugged. "And besides, you guys are letting us stay over all this time to share your home. It's the least we could do."

Jack hopped a little closer to Mac and the stove, sniffing audibly. "Is that _bacon _I smell?" He gave Mac a surprised look. "My _mostly-_vegetarian brother is cooking _bacon_?"

Mac smirked, then waved his spatula at Nikki. "To be fair, she's the one cooking it." He winked, his brother and sister-in-law laughing softly.

One of Jack's hands left the grip of his crutch to wave a hand dismissively. "I don't care as long as there's bacon. It smells _heavenly_."

Sam rolled her eyes, but Mac could see her smiling. She lightly patted Jack's shoulder. "Go have a seat, Jack, I'll get us some coffee."

Turning back to his pancakes, MacGyver flipped the ones that were half done and piled the finished ones up on a plate on the counter.

Nikki attended to the bacon and eggs beside him, sending him a warm smile, her dark eyes shining as she gently nudged his hip with her own, careful not to bump his broken arm.

Mac grinned back at her, amused by the playfulness, and nudged her back.

She leaned over and kissed him, whispering, _"Merry Christmas, MacGyver."_

.

By one o'clock in the afternoon the house was filled with the warmth and chatter of their friends and family—their extended family, really. Jack had been quite animated and talkative, laughing and joking with everyone like nothing had changed. As the evening wore on, however, Mac could see that his brother was worn down. He'd gotten quiet over dessert, and afterwards Mac watched Jack hobble down the hall to his bedroom, disappearing for at least ten minutes.

Mac was tired as well, but after having a brief nap once they'd finished their first course meal, he'd been refreshed, ready to go again. He found himself getting along quite easily with his brother's extended family, having only met them a small handful of times before, and discovered it was quite easy to converse with Daniel especially. Nikki had been chatting amicably with Janet, Sam, and even fifteen-year-old Cassandra like she'd known them all for years.

Seeing Sam break away from the group after looking around the room with a puzzled furrow between her brows, Mac moved toward the kitchen and beckoned her over. "Looking for Jack?"

She nodded. "Yeah, is he okay?"

"I don't know." Mac shrugged uncomfortably and gestured down the hall. "I saw him disappear into the bedroom, but that was over ten minutes ago, now."

Sam's face was suddenly pinched with concern, but she hesitated, biting her lower lip, unsure.

Mac could tell she didn't want Jack to think she was being overly concerned or nagging. "I can go check up on him," he offered with a friendly smile.

She nodded, her hand brushing down his good arm. "Okay, thanks Mac. Come get me if you need to."

"No problem." He smiled back at Sam reassuringly and slowly made his way down the hall.

Mac paused at the bedroom door, finding it open just a crack. He tapped softly, but getting no answer, pushed it open and stepped inside. Looking around but not seeing his brother anywhere, his brow furrowed in puzzlement until he thought he heard something from the half-open door to the attached bathroom.

"Hey, Jack?" MacGyver tapped on the doorframe. He leaned close, hearing some shuffling from inside.

_"Yeah, what is it?" _

"Uh, can I open the door?"

A sigh. _"Sure." _

Stepping inside, Mac looked at his brother who was sitting on the closed toilet seat lid with his injured leg extended, bandage removed, dabbing around the stitched area with a damp towel that was stained with blood. It was the first time Mac had seen what his brother's injury looked like since they'd gotten out of the train, and he tried desperately to mask his shock. He cleared his throat roughly. "Uh, everything okay?"

Jack heaved a disgruntled sigh. "Yeah, I'm fine. I came in to use the bathroom and when I was leaving I…I fell." He frowned, gestured at the end of his leg with the towel. "Damn thing got to bleeding again."

Mac jerked a thumb behind him with his good hand. "Want me to get Sam?"

Seeming to consider his response for a moment, Jack's dark eyes flicked to his injured leg again, his face tight with pain. Finally, he nodded. In a defeated voice he murmured, "Yeah. I think it's okay, but…you'd better get Sam and the doc to have a look."

Worried, Mac nodded and quickly left the room.

As discretely as possible, Mac pulled the two women aside and explained what was going on. He quickly led them back to the room and hovered in the en suite doorway while Sam and Janet moved in on Jack.

.

"Did you land on your leg when you fell, Colonel?" Janet asked immediately as they went up to Jack. She was instantly in doctor mode.

He grimaced, reluctantly moving his hands out of the way as Janet reached for the towel. "Yeah."

Sam pursed her lips, staring at the end of Jack's stump in concern. His still-bruised skin was red, a good area around the stitches stained with blood. She just hoped that he hadn't done any real damage, knowing how upset Jack would be if he had to return to the hospital already.

Janet gingerly prodded around and Sam could see Jack's shoulders tensing, then he flinched as her questing fingers got closer to his wound. "It looks like you've just torn some stitches, sir." She looked up at him and placed a soothing hand on his shoulder. "I've got a med kit in my car. I think we can fix this up without taking a trip to the hospital."

Jack visibly sagged in relief. "Okay."

Janet handed back the towel, then Sam went to get her husband's medication while the doctor got her kit from the car and Mac stayed behind with Jack.

When she got back Sam was glad to see that Mac already had Jack joking about being a stupid klutz and tripping himself up. She smiled and gave Jack his meds as the twins bickered back and forth for a while until Janet walked in with her medical bag, assuring them that no one had seen her retrieve it from her car because she'd discretely snuck in the back door.

Giving Jack his crutches, they helped him over to the bed and put a towel down as he sat back with the end of his leg on it so Janet could fix his sutures. Sam winced as Janet injected the local anesthetic into Jack's stump, then sat beside him on the bed and clutched his hand while he looked at her to distract himself from what the doctor was doing.

It didn't take Janet long to suture Jack's leg, then she wrapped it in a new bandage, using extra gauze for cushioning, and he was good to go. By then Jack was sleepy from meds and Sam noticed Mac had been swaying slightly on his feet. As Janet gathered her things and left the room, Sam got off the bed and quickly grabbed for Mac's arm as he stumbled while Jack remained on the bed.

"Hey, take it easy MacGyver. Is it your head?" Sam asked gently as she guided him to sit on the edge of the bed.

His eyes closed and he gingerly put a hand to the bandage on his head. "Yeah, just felt dizzy all of a sudden. And really…tired."

Sam looked between the two brothers for a moment, hands on her hips. "Okay, why don't you both just stay here and rest for a little while."

Jack lazily lifted his head and glanced sleepily at his brother. He just nodded blearily and scooted back so that his head rested on the pillow.

MacGyver made a face and eventually nodded in acquiescence as well. He moved back and got comfortable.

Satisfied that she'd got both Jack and Mac to take it easy, Sam smiled and began to leave them to rest. "Mac, I'll let Nikki know where you are."

"Thanks," he murmured, lifting his good hand in a wave.

Sam left the room and grinned in amusement as she heard Jack mumbling to his brother that they haven't shared a bed since they were kids.

.

Later, once everyone had gone home save for Mac and Nikki who were still staying over, Sam laid beside Jack in bed, curled against him and tracing patterns on his t-shirt clad chest. "I think we had a good Christmas, don't you?"

Jack breathed out slowly, his left hand absently stroking up and down her back. "Hm. Yeah, it was nice."

She smiled. "I'm really glad your brother was here, Jack."

"Yeah. It's nice to finally see him on a holiday for a change… Circumstances aside."

Sam pursed her lips, her hand going still to lie flat against his chest when the silence grew between them and she knew he hadn't fallen asleep yet. "Talk to me?" she said softly.

_"I thought we were talking?" _His voice was getting low, sleepy.

Chuckling soft against his chest, she shook her head, but her voice was serious. "How…How are you dealing with all this?" Sam knew she wouldn't have to elaborate on what the _'this' _she referred to was.

Jack breathed in, then out, then in, and finally murmured, "I'm okay, Sam."

Her fingers started plucking at his t-shirt. She worried her bottom lip for a moment, contemplating his answer. "Promise?"

He kept rubbing her back. "I know that there's gonna be a lot of changes…and it's gonna take some getting used to, but…" Jack breathed in deeply, Sam's hand rising and falling in time with his chest. "It's gonna be alright, Sam. And I _am _okay. Really."

"Alright. But if there are times…or days where you...where you're _not _okay…" she sucked in a breath. "I Just want you to know—"

"Sam," Jack said softly with a chuckle. "I know." He pulled her tighter against him. "I love you. And…thank you."

Nodding, Sam leaned up to kiss him. She'd be there for him, no matter what, and it warmed her heart to know that Jack already knew that.

.


	6. Epilogue

**Note: **Once again I'd like to thank you all for reading/reviewing/following this story. I know there are some unanswered questions, and I apologize for that, but like I said in the beginning, this was a Christmas present and at the time it had been way overdue and I needed to wrap things up. I saw the opportunity with an epilogue and I took it, though I definitely could have written more scenes throughout the twins' recovery, especially since many of your reviews made me think about some parts of the story that could've been wrapped up or otherwise addressed. But there I go, overlooking some details. Sorry!

So anyways, this part is going to more lighthearted than the rest of the story, and though it's at an end now, I hope you enjoy! Thanks again!

**Epilogue**

_Six months later…_

"Sam! What did you do with my fishing pole!" Jack yelled as he rushed around, trying to gather together everything they still needed to pack before they could leave. He stumbled slightly and cursed as his prosthetic foot caught at the edge of the living room rug. He'd had the new leg for almost four months now, but not having feeling in the new artificial appendage still tripped him up once in a while when he wasn't careful.

"I already put it in the truck!" Sam returned from down the hall in their bedroom. "Did you call your brother?"

"Yeah, he and Nikki just got to Harry's a few hours ago." Jack zipped up the duffle bag on the couch and started to heft it over his shoulder when he looked up to find Sam standing at the top of the lounge steps. She already had her last bag in hand and was ready to head out the door, looking at him with her head tilted in amusement. His brows furrowed. "What?"

Her eyebrows lifted as she smiled. "Did you plan on driving up to the cabin in your underwear?"

Jack glanced down to find he was only half dressed in a loose button up golf shirt and grey boxer briefs. Frowning, he rolled his eyes at himself and dropped his bag as Sam giggled. "For cryin' out loud," he muttered under his breath. Now Jack remembered he'd been in the middle of getting dressed before taking a detour to find his fishing pole in fear they'd leave for the trip without it.

Sam wandered out of view, and as Jack limped up the steps, watched her step out of the dining room holding his shorts. He snatched them from her with a muttered, "Thanks." He allowed Sam to hang onto his elbow to keep him balanced as he put on his shorts one leg at a time, then straightened to pull them up all the way.

"Ready to go now?" Sam laughed, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

Jack heaved a sigh. "Yes!"

She moved toward the door. "Don't forget your bag!"

He stopped half way down the hall and gave himself a slap on the forehead. _"D'oh!"_

.

MacGyver pulled on his shirt and worked on the buttons slowly, his left hand giving him trouble as usual. After his injuries from the train crash months ago had healed, the doctors had removed the cast on his left arm only to discover, during physio, that he'd also suffered nerve damage in his arm. They'd taken him in for surgery as soon as possible to try and repair some of the damage, but even Mac had known his arm would never be the same. He'd lost some feeling in his arm as well as some dexterity in his hand. Mac had been disappointed and frustrated with the news, but he didn't want to get discouraged or complain. His twin brother had lost his _leg_, for cryin' out loud, and MacGyver could only consider himself lucky that his head injury hadn't left him with any defects other than the occasional headache.

"Hey Mac, Jack called to say they were on their way," Nikki announced as she stepped into the bathroom where he'd been changing his shirt.

"Alright, good." Nodding, Mac smiled at his new fiancée. He was sure he would have gone off into brooding mode if not for her, but she'd stuck by him and stubbornly pushed him to do better and continue with his therapy even when it had seemed hopeless. He owed a lot to her, and when she'd accepted his marriage proposal a month earlier, Mac couldn't have been happier.

"Dinner should be ready by the time they get here, then you boys can go fishing while Sam and I stay in to drink wine and gossip." Nikki winked at him teasingly, her hips swaying as she approached him.

Mac smiled at her, not even minding as she pushed his hands aside and finished buttoning his shirt for him. He brought his hands up to gently cradle her face, then leaned down for a tender kiss. "I love you, Nik," he murmured against her lips.

Her dark eyes were bright and passionate as she gazed up at him, her hands now flat against his chest. "I love you, too, Mac."

.

Lounging in camp chairs at their grandfather's favorite fishing hole, Jack and Mac drank their beers and chatted amicably, a small campfire behind them. Neither man had much interest in actually catching anything, and in fact both had cast their fishing lines with un-baited hooks. They'd fish for real another day, but for now, in the dusky evening, the brothers were just enjoying the company and the fresh mountain air.

"So how's it feel getting one step closer to being a committed man?" Jack asked his twin teasingly with a lazy sideways glance.

Mac lifted his beer, the mouth of the bottle barely touching his lower lip as he turned to his left. "Honestly?" He sank back in his chair with a slow smile spreading across his face as he gazed distantly out over the lake. "Pretty damn great."

Jack nodded, grinning in amusement and thinking about his wonderful wife hanging back at the cabin. Suddenly, he set his beer down and got to his feet, listing sideways slightly before he corrected his balance. He started to reel in his fishing line.

"What? You get a bite?" Mac gave him a weird look, confused with his brother's behavior.

"What are we doing here?" Jack countered with a goofy grin. He was already moving about, folding his camp chair and heading toward the water bucket to douse the fire. "I wanna get back to my beautiful wife." His expression brightened as Mac nodded quickly in agreement and started packing up as well.

"Good idea."

Jack paused and gave his brother a joking dangerous glare. "You want to get back to my wife?"

Mac rolled his eyes and tossed his baseball cap at him. "You know what I mean!"

Chuckling, Jack just shook his head and started toward the truck. "Yeah, I know. C'mon, let's get back to our girls already!"

"Yeah, yeah," Mac muttered, coming up behind him, carrying his folded camp chair.

.

When they got back to the cabin, the girls were sitting around a fire out back, their voices more than a little warm and floaty from the wine. Jack unfolded his camp chair and parked right beside Sam as Mac did the same with Nikki. He threw an arm across his wife's shoulders and leaned over to kiss her.

"You taste like beer," she said, smiling into the kiss.

"You taste like wine," he countered with amusement.

"Maybe we'll get drunk off each other," Sam joked, all giggly and smiles, scooting her chair closer as she hugged his right arm and leaned into him.

Jack shook his head, grinning. "You get silly when you're drunk," he chuckled as she laid her head on his shoulder. "It's cute."

"So are you," Sam murmured, turning her face into the side of his neck and causing Jack to laugh again.

"Oh, get a room you two!" Mac shouted, Nikki laughing beside him and telling him to shut up.

Jack ignored his brother and turned a sly glance to his wife. He snapped to his feet and tugged her up with him. "Good idea!" Sam shrieked with laughter, stumbling slightly as he dragged her back to the cabin. "Dibs on the big bedroom tonight!"

There was a silent pause, then he heard Mac's disgruntled shout as they reached the door. "JACK!"

.End.


End file.
